THE   UNIVERSITY 

OF   ILLINOIS 

LIBRARY 


BULLETIN  No.  184 


TESTS  WITH  NITRATE  OF  SODA  IN  THE 
PRODUCTION  OF  EARLY  VEGETABLES 


BY  JOHN  W.  LLOYD 


URBAXA,  ILLINOIS,  NOVEMBER,  1915 


SUMMARY  OF  BULLETIN  No.  184 

1.  Top-dressings  of  nitrate  of  soda  were  made  to  growing  crops  of  radishes, 
turnips,  beets,  onions,  spinach,  lettuce,  cabbage,  and  cauliflower.     The  experiment 
was  continued  thru  six  years.  Page  29 

2.  One  plat  received  applications  of  nitrate  of  soda  at  intervals  of  one  week, 
and  another  at  intervals  of  two  weeks.     A  third  plat  was  left  untreated  as  a 
check.  Page  30 

3.  The  number  of  applications  of  nitrate  of  soda  and  the  amount  of  material 
used  varied  with  different  seasons  and  different  crops.  Page  32 

4.  The   crops   of  vegetables  were  harvested  when  they   reached   marketable 
condition,  and    data    were    secured    regarding    the  yields    from    the    different 
plats.  Page  35 

5.  Altho  the  results  were  somewhat  variable,  the  nitrate  of  soda  was  usually 
beneficial  to  most  of  the  crops.  Pages  42-45 

6.  Applications  of  nitrate  of  soda  made  at  intervals  of  two  weeks  seemed 
preferable  to  applications  made  at  intervals  of  one  week.  Pages  42-45 

7.  CONCLUSIONS.  Page  45 


TESTS  WITH  NITRATE  OF  SODA  IN  THE 
PRODUCTION  OF  EARLY  VEGETABLES 

BY  JOHN  W.  LLOYD,  CHIEF  IN  OLERICULTURE 

Extravagant  claims  are  sometimes  made  regarding  the  influence 
of  nitrate  of  soda  upon  the  yield  and  earliness  of  certain  vegetable 
crops,  particularly  those  of  which  a  vegetative  part  constitutes  the 
edible  product.  The  claims  are  especially  emphatic  in  reference  to 
early-planted  crops,  since  much  of  their  growth  must  be  made  at  a 
time  when  conditions  in  the  soil  are  not  favorable  for  rapid  nitrifica- 
tion; and  the  supplying  of  nitrogen  in  a  readily  available  form  at 
such  a  time  would  seem  to  premise  good  results.  Furthermore,  marked 
benefits  from  the  use  of  nitrate  of  soda  in  vegetable  production  have 
been  reported  from  certain  experiment  stations  of  the  East.  In  view 
of  these  considerations,  it  was  thought  best  to  make  some  tests  with 
this  material  in  the  production  of  vegetables  on  the  brown  silt  loam 
of  the  corn  belt.  Accordingly  a  series  of  tests  was  planned,  including 
eight  kinds  of  vegetables;  viz.,  radish,  turnip,  beet,  onion,  spinach, 
lettuce,  cabbage,  and  cauliflower.  The  tests  were  begun  in  1907  and 
continued  for  six  years. 

METHOD  OF  CONDUCTING  THE  TESTS 

The  land  used  for  the  nitrate  of  soda  experiment  was  part  of  the 
area  on  the  Station  grounds  at  Urbana  formerly  occupied  by  the 
"Farmer's  Vegetable  Garden"  reported  in  Bulletin  No.  105. J  Dur- 
ing the  seven  years  from  1900  to  1906  inclusive,  the  land  had  been 
manured  at  the  rate  of  322  loads  per  acre,  or  an  average  of  forty-six 
loads  per  acre  per  year.  At  the  beginning  of  the  present  experiment 
in  the  spring  of  1907,  the  soil  was  therefore  in  good  condition  for  the 
production  of  vegetables.  Each  year  during  the  progress  of  the  ex- 
periment, the  land  was  given  a  dressing  of  manure  in  the  fall  at  the 
rate  of  approximately  thirty-six  tons  per  acre.  Thus  the  nitrate  of 
soda  was  used  to  supplement  rather  than  to  replace  the  manure. 

Usually  the  land  was  plowed  in  the  fall  after  being  manured,  and 
was  allowed  to  lie  rough  in  the  furrow  until  spring.  As  early  in  the 
spring  as  the  ground  could  be  worked  to  advantage,  the  land  was 
disked,  harrowed,  and  planked  until  a  fine  seed  bed  was  prepared. 
Three  plats,  each  one  rod  wide  and  four  rods  long,  were  laid  out,  and 
planted  exactly  alike. 

'Xo  longer  available  for  distribution. 

29 


30  BULLETIN  No.  184  [November, 

In  each  plat  one  row  of  each  of  the  following  varieties  of  vegeta- 
bles was  planted: 

Lettuce,  Hanson   (except  in  1910) 

Spinach,  Long  Standing 

Turnip,  Purple-Top  Strap-Leaved 

Beet,  Crosby's  Egyptian 

Kadish,  Burpee's  Earliest  Scarlet  (except  in  1907) 

Onion  seed,  Southport  Yellow  Globe  (except  in  1909) 

Onion  sets,  Yellow  Bottom 

Cabbage,  Early  Jersey  Wakefield 

Cauliflower,  Burpee's  Dry  Weather 

In  1910,  Big  Boston  lettuce  plants  were  transplanted  instead  of  Han- 
son seed  being  sown.  In  1907,  the  Scarlet  Turnip  White  Tip  radish 
was  used.  In  1909,  one-half  of  each  row  of  onion  seed  was  planted 
with  Southport  Red  Globe  and  the  other  half  with  Southport  White 
Globe. 

All  the  vegetables  except  the  cabbage  and  the  cauliflower  were 
planted  as  early  in  the  spring  as  the  seed  bed  could  be  prepared.1 
The  cabbage  and  the  cauliflower  were  transplanted  somewhat  later 
after  the  weather  had  become  more  settled.  The  rows  of  cabbage  and 
cauliflower  were  three  feet  apart,  while  those  of  the  other  vegetables 
were  one  and  one-half  feet  apart.  All  rows  were  sixty-six  feet  long. 

The  three  plats  were  given  identical  care  as  to  tillage,  weeding, 
and  thinning  of  the  plants.  The  lettuce,  turnips,  beets,  and  onions 
from  seed  were  thinned;  the  radishes  and  spinach  were  allowed  to 
stand  as  they  came  up  from  the  seed. 

Beginning  after  the  plants  had  become  well  established,  nitrate  of 
soda  was  applied  to  Plat  1  at  intervals  of  approximately  one  week, 
and  to  Plat  2  at  intervals  of  approximately  two  weeks.  Slight  devia- 
tions from  the  schedule  for  applications  once  a  week  and  once  in  two 
weeks  respectively  were  sometimes  necessary  on  account  of  rain  and 
the  consequent  muddy  condition  of  the  soil.  The  applications  early 
in  the  season  were  made  by  means  of  a  "side-dresser  drill"  (Fig.  1), 
which  straddled  the  row  and  deposited  the  nitrate  in  a  little  furrow 
along  each  side.  The  machine  made  the  furrows  and  distributed  and 
covered  the  nitrate  at  one  operation.  As  the  plants  became  larger, 
however,  this  implement  could  no  longer  be  used,  and  it  became  nec- 
essary to  apply  the  nitrate  by  hand.  In  this  case,  care  was  taken  to 
avoid  letting  the  nitrate  come  in  contact  with  the  foliage ;  it  was  care- 
fully scattered  along  both  sides  of  the  row,  and  then  cultivated  into 
the  soil  by  means  of  a  wheel  hoe  equipped  with  narrow  cultivator 
teeth.  Accurate  records  were  kept  regarding  the  amount  of  nitrate 
put  on  at  each  application.  Plat  3  was  left  untreated  as  a  check. 

The  crops  were  harvested  when  they  had  reached  marketable  con- 
dition. With  the  exception  of  the  cabbage  and  the  cauliflower,  the 

aln  1907  it  became  necessary  to  replant  the  turnips,  beets,  and  radishes  be 
cause  the  seedlings  from  the  original  planting  were  killed  by  severe  frosts. 


19151 


NITRATE  OF  SODA  TESTS  WITH  EARLY  VEGETABLES 


31 


entire  crop  of  a  given  vegetable  was  usually  harvested  on  the  same 
day,  the  small,  undeveloped  specimens  being  gathered  as  well  as  those 
that  had  reached  marketable  size.  The  crop  was  then  graded  on  the 
basis  of  size  into  marketable  and  unmarketable  specimens,  when  grad- 
ing was  necessary,  and  the  percentage  of  marketable  specimens  deter- 
mined. This  percentage  was  a  good  index  to  the  relative  earliness 
of  the  crops  from  the  different  plats. 

Further,  the  specimens  from  each  plat  were  counted,  and  the  en- 
tire product  from  each  plat  was  weighed.  In  the  case  of  the  root  crops 
(radishes,  turnips,  and  beets),  the  tops  were  cut  off  and  weighed 


FIG.  1. — SIDE-DRESSER  DRILL  FOR  APPLYING  NITRATE  OF  SODA 


separately  from  the  roots.  This  was  done  in  order  to  determine 
whether  or  not  the  nitrate  of  soda  had  stimulated  an  excessive  leaf 
growth  without  a  corresponding  development  of  the  root. 

The  cabbage  and  the  cauliflower  were  gone  over  every  few  days, 
and  all  heads  that  were  sufficiently  developed  at  £ach  date  were  har- 
vested at  that  time.  Usually  at  least  five  cuttings  were  made.  All 
cabbage  cut  during  the  first  week  of  the  harvest  (usually  two  cuttings) 


32 


BULLETIN  No.  184 


[November, 


was  counted  as  ' '  early. ' '    Practically  all  the  cabbage  plants  produced 
heads  and  all  the  heads  were  marketable. 

The  cauliflower,  on  the  other  hand,  showed  great  variation  in  the 
quality  of  the  heads.  These  were  sorted  into  two  classes,  "good"  and 
' '  poor. ' '  Account  was  also  kept  of  the  number  of  plants  that  failed 
to  head,  and  the  percentage  of  plants  making  good  heads  was  deter- 
mined. 

AMOUNTS  OF  NITRATE  OF  SODA  USED 

The  amounts  of  nitrate  of  soda  used  varied  from  year  to  year  and 
with  the  different  crops,  depending  upon  the  number  of  applications 
and  the  adjustment  of  the  machine  for  a  given  application.  Some- 
times the  amounts  put  on  were  larger  than  they  should  have  been,  but 
in  no  case  was  there  any  apparent  injury  to  the  plants  due  to  ex- 
cessive use  of  the  nitrate.  The  dates  of  the  first  and  the  last  applica- 
tion to  each  crop  each  year,  the  number  of  applications,  and  the  total 
amounts  applied,  together  with  dates  of  planting  and  harvesting  the 
various  crops,  are  given  in  Tables  1  to  9  inclusive. 

TABLE  1. — APPLICATIONS  OP  NITRATE  OP  SODA  TO  RADISHES 
(Amounts  expressed  in  pounds  per  acre) 


1907 

1909 

1910 

1912 

Date   of  planting  

Apr.    17 

Apr.      1 

Apr.      2 

Apr.    12 

Date  of  first  application  

May      3 

May      5 

May    12 

May      9 

Date  of  last  application  

May   20 

May    19 

May    19 

May    16 

Date  of  harvest  

May    27 

May   20 

May    28 

May    23 

Number  of  applications  to  Plat  1  

3 

3 

2 

2 

Number  of  applications  to  Plat  2  

2 

2 

1 

I 

Total  amount  applied  to  Plat  1  

379 

699 

389 

190 

Total  amount  applied  to  Plat  2.  . 

244 

493 

230 

90 

NOTE. — In  1908  and  1911  the  radishes  were  ready  to  pull  by  the  time  the 
first  application  of  nitrate  of  soda  was  made.  Hence  no  records  were  taken  for 
these  two  years. 


TABLE  2. — APPLICATIONS  OF  NITRATE.  OF  SODA  TO  TURNIPS 
(Amounts  expressed  in  pounds  per  acre) 


1907 

1908 

1909 

1910 

1911 

1912 

Date  of  planting  

Apr.   17 
May     3 
June     5 
June  26 

5 

3 

615 
370 

Mar.  26 
May    16 
May   23 
June  18 

2 

1 
220 
110 

Apr.      1 
May     5 
May  '29 
June  30 

4 

2 
898 
493 

Apr.     2 
May   12 
June     9 
June  18 

5 

3 

1817 
1012 

Mar.  23 
May    11 
June  15 
June  29 

5 

3 

740 
432 

Apr.    12 
May     9 
June     6 
June  27 

5 

S 

475 

276 

Date  of  first  application  

Date  of  last  application  

Date  of  harvest  

Number     of     applications     to 
Plat  1  

Number     of     applications     to 
Plat  2  

Total  amount  applied  to  Plat  1 
Total  amount  applied  to  Plat  2 

1915] 


NITRATE  OF  SODA  TESTS  WITH  EARLY  VEGETABLES 


33 


TABLE  3. — APPLICATIONS  OF  NITRATE  OF  SODA  TO  BEETS 
(Amounts  expressed  in  pounds  per  acre) 


1907 

1908 

1909 

1910 

1911 

1912 

Date  of  planting  

Apr.   17 
May     3 
June  17 
July   13 

7 

4 
891 

700 

Mar.  26 
May    16 
May   30 
June  25 

3 

2 
330 

220 

Apr.     1 
May     5 
June     5 
July     1 

5 

3 

1082 
668 

Apr.     2 
May   12 
June  16 
July     2 

6 

3 

1020 
547 

Mar.  23 
May   11 
June  15 
June  30 

5 

3 

740 
432 

Apr.    12 
May     9 
June     6 
June  26 

5 

3 

475 
276 

Date  of  first  application  

Date  of  last  application  
Date  of  harvest  

Number     of     applications     to 
Plat    1  

Number     of     applications     to 
Plat  2  

Total  amount  applied  to  Plat  1 
Total  amount  applied  to  Plat  2 

TABLE  4. — APPLICATIONS  OF  NITRATE  OF  SODA  TO  ONIONS  GROWN  FROM  SEED 
(Amounts  expressed  in  pounds  per  acre) 


1907 

1908 

1909 

1910 

1911 

1912 

Date  of  planting  

Mar.  20 
Apr.   20 
June  17 
Aug.  28 

9 

5 

1366 
838 

Mar.  26 
May   16 
June     6 
Aug.  14 

4 

2 
456 
220 

Apr.     1 
May     5 
June     5 
Aug.  20 

5 

3 

1082 
668 

Apr.      2 
May   12 
June  16 
Aug.  19 

6 

3 

1020 
547 

Mar.  23 
May   11 
June  15 
July   25 

5 

3 

740 
432 

Apr.    12 
May     9 
June     6 
Aug.  24 

5 

3 

475 
276 

Date  of  first  application  

Date  of  last  application  

Date  of  harvest  

Number     of     applications     to 
Plat  1                   

Number     of     applications     to 
Plat  2  

Total  amount  applied  to  Plat  1 
Total  amount  applied  to  Plat  2 

TABLE  5. — APPLICATIONS  OF  NITRATE  OF  SODA  TO  ONIONS  GROWN  FROM  SETS 
(Amounts  expressed  in  pounds  per  acre) 


1907 

1908 

1909 

1910 

1911 

1912 

Date  of  planting           

Mar.  20 
Apr.   20 
May   20 
May   29 

5 

3 

654 
382 

Mar.  26 
May   16 
May   23 
June     6 

2 

1 

220 
110 

Apr.     1 
May     5 
May   29 

Aug.     2 

4 

2 
898 
493 

Apr.     2 
May   12 
June  16 
Aug.     1 

6 

3 

1020 
547 

Mar.  23 
May   11 
June  15 

July     7 

5 

3 

740 
432 

Apr.    12 
May     9 
June     6 
July  30 

5 

3 

475 
276 

Date  of  first  application  

Date   of  last  application  

Date  of  harvest  

Number     of     applications     to 
Plat  1             

Number     of     applications     to 
Plat  2  

Total  amount  applied  to  Plat  1 
Total  amount  applied  to  Plat  2 

NOTE. — In   1907   and    1908   the   onions  from   sets  were  harvested  as  green 
bunch  onions;  the  other  years   they  were  allowed  to  ripen. 


34 


BULLETIN  No.  184 


[November, 


TABLE  6. — APPLICATIONS  OF  NITRATE  OF  SODA  TO  SPINACH 
(Amounts  expressed  in   pounds  per   acre) 


1907 

1908 

1909 

1910 

1911 

1912 

Date  of  planting  

Mar.   20 
Apr.   20 
May   20 
May   30 

5 

3 

654 
382 

Mar.  26 
May   16 
May    23 
May   30 

2 

1 
220 
110 

Apr.     1 
May     5 
May   19 
June     1 

3 

o 
700 
493 

Apr.     2 
May   12 
June     2 
June  10 

4 

2 
743 
380 

Mar.  23 
May   11 

May    19 
1 

1 

135 
135 

Apr.    12 
May      9 
May   30 
June     4 

4 

2 
365 
166 

Date  of  first  application  

Date  of  last  application  

Date  of  harvest  

Number     of     applications     to 
Plat  1  

Number     of     applications     to 
Plat  2  

Total  amount  applied  to  Plat  1 
Total  amount  applied  to  Plat  2 

TABLE  7. — APPLICATIONS  OF  NITRATE  OF  SODA  TO  LETTUCE 
(Amounts  expressed  in  pounds  per  acre) 


1907 

1908 

1910 

1912 

Date  of  planting  

Mar.  20 
Apr.   20 
May   28 
June  25 
6 
3 
764 
382 

Mar.  26 
May   16 
June     6 
June  19 
4 
2 
581 
220 

Apr.      2 
May    12 
May   26 
June     3 
3 
2 
718 
560 

Apr.   12 
May     9 
June     6 
June  27 
5 
3 
475 
266 

Date  of  first  application  

Date  of  last  application  

Date  of  harvest  

Number  of  applications  to  Plat  1  

Number  of  applications  to  Plat  2  

Total  amount  applied  to  Plat  1  

Total  amount  armlied  to  Plat  2  .  . 

NOTE. — In  1909  and  1911  the  lettuce  did  not  develop  well,  and  no  yield  rec- 
ords were  kept;  hence  no  data  regarding  nitrate  applications  for  those  years  are 
given  here. 


TABLE  8. — APPLICATIONS  OF  NITRATE  OF  SODA  TO  CABBAGE 
(Amounts  expressed  in  pounds  per  acre) 


1907 

1908 

1909 

1910 

1911 

1912 

Date  of  planting  

Apr.   27 
May     3 

June  26 
July      1 

8 

4 
812 
365 

Apr.   29 
May   16 
June     6 
July   11 

4 

2 
456 
220 

Apr.   16 
May     5 
June     5 
June  26 

5 

3 
790 
466 

Apr.   29 
May    12 
June  16 
June  30 

6 

3 

1128 
655 

Apr.   17 
May   11 
June  15 
June  16 

5 

3 

658 
355 

Apr.   20 
May     9 
June     6 
June  20 

5 

3 

475 
276 

Date  of  first  application  

Date  of  last  application  

Date  of  harvest  (beginning)  .  . 
Number     of     applications     to 
Plat  1      

Number     of     applications     to 
Plat  2  

Total  amount  applied  to  Plat  1 
Total  amount  applied  to  Plat  2 

1915] 


NITRATE  OF  SODA  TESTS  WITH  EARLY  VEGETABLES 


35 


TABLE  9. — APPLICATIONS  OF  NITRATE  OF  SODA  TO  CAULIFLOWER 
(Amounts  expressed  in  pounds  per  acre) 


1907 

1908 

1909 

1910 

1911 

1912 

Date  of  planting  

Apr.   27 
May     3 
June  26 
July      5 

8 

4 
884 
423 

Apr.   29 
May    16 
June     6 
July   17 

4 

2 
456 

220 

Apr.   16 
May     5 
June     5 
June  15 

5 

3 

790 
465 

Apr.   29 
May   12 
June  16 
July     6 

6 

3 

1128 
655 

Apr.   17 
May   11 
June  15 
June  16 

5 

3 

658 
355 

Apr.   20 
May     9 
June     6 
June  20 

5 

3 

475 
276 

Date  of  first  application  

Date  of  last  application  

Date  of  harvest  (beginning)  .  . 
Number     of     applications     to 
Plat  1       

Number     of     applications     to 
Plat  2               

Total  amount  applied  to  Plat  1 
Total  amount  applied  to  Plat  2 

RESULTS  OF  THE  TESTS 

As  has  already  been  stated,  the  crops  of  vegetables  in  the  nitrate 
of  soda  experiment  were  harvested  when  they  had  reached  suitable 
condition,  and  accurate  counts  and  weighings  of  the  products  were 
made.  Data  regarding  the  yields  of  the  various  vegetables  from  the 
different  plats  each  year  are  given  in  Tables  10  to  19  inclusive. 


TABLE  10. — YIELDS  OF  EADISHES  FROM  TREATED  AND  UNTREATED  PLATS 


Year 

Number 
of 
plants 

Percentage 
of  market- 
able plants 

Total 
weight 
of  roots 

Aver, 
weight 
per  root 

Total 
weight 
of  leaves 

Ratio  of 
roots  to 
leaves,  by 
weight 

Plat  1:    Nitrate  Once  a  Week 


1907 
1909 
1910 
1912 

129 

282 
812 
665 

54.3 
61.3 
54.9 
66.6 

Ibs. 
1.81 
2.39 
19.03 
10.66 

Ibs. 

.014 

.008 
.023 
.016 

Ibs. 
1.06 
1.42 
11.19 
5.44 

1:0.59 
1:0.59 
1:0.59 
1:0.51 

Average 

472 

60.01 

8.47 

.015 

4.77 

1:0.56 

Plat  2  :    Nitrate  Once  in  Two  Weeks 

1907 
1909 
1910 
1912 

278 
261 
473 
580 

55.4 
65.9 

58.4 
65.2 

3.19 
2.45 
12.84 
10.19 

.011 
.009 
.027 
.017 

1.81 
1.50 
6.63 

4.87 

1:0.57 
1:0.61 
1:0.52 
1:0.48 

Average 

398 

61.6 

7.17 

.016 

3.70 

1:0.52 

Plat  3  :    Check 

1907 
1909 
1910 
1912 

188 
214 
749 
557 

50.5 
52.8 
55.0 
48.8 

2.07 
1.65 
14.35 

7.28 

.011 
.007 
.019 
.013 

1.10 
1.01 
12.25 
3.72 

1:0.53 
1:0.61 
1:0.85 
1:0.51 

Average 

427 

52.2 

6.34 

.012 

4.52 

1:0.71 

'Averages  in  this  column  and  the  corresponding  columns  in  other  tables  have 
been  calculated  from  the  total  number  of  plants  produced  during  the  series  of 
years. 


36 


BULLETIN  No.  184 


[November, 


TABLE  11. — YIELDS  OP  TURNIPS  FROM  TREATED  AND  UNTREATED  PLATS 


Number 

Percentage 

Total 

Aver. 

Total 

Eatio   of 

Year 

of 
plants 

of  market- 
able plants 

weight 
of  roots 

weight 
per  root 

weight 
of  leaves 

roots  to 
leaves,  by 

weight 

Plat  1:    Nitrate  Once  a  Week 


Ibs. 

Ibs. 

Ibs. 

1907 

181 

74.6 

60.50 

.334 

144.50 

1:2.39 

1908 

214 

53.7 

45.60 

.213 

95.50 

1:2.09 

1909 

160 

60.0 

173.10 

1.082 

226.30 

1:1.31 

1910 

134 

64.9 

59.53 

.444 

98.75 

1  :  1.66 

1911 

208 

32.2 

39.10 

.188 

136.30 

.1:3.49 

1912 

240 

65.4 

45.75 

.191 

111.25 

1:2.43 

Average 

189 

57.8 

70.59 

.408 

135.43 

1:1.92 

Plat  2  :  Nitrate  Once  in  Two  Weeks 

1907 

179 

70.9 

58.25 

.325 

140.01 

1:2.40 

1908 

189 

58.7 

53.85 

.285 

118.75 

1:2.21 

1909 

110 

51.8 

98.90 

.899 

197.00 

1:1.99 

1910 

144 

70.8 

64.78 

.450 

106.25 

1:1.64 

1911 

205 

36.1 

44.70 

.218 

146.70 

1:3.28 

1912 

213 

72.3 

49.00 

.230 

101.50 

1:2.07 

Average 

173 

60.1 

61.58 

.401 

135.03 

1:2.19 

Plat  3  :  Check 

1907 

183 

56.3 

49.75 

.272 

118.50 

1:2.38 

1908 

178 

59.6 

46.70 

.262 

97.50 

1:2.09 

1909 

117 

65.0 

92.60 

.791 

181.50 

1:1.96 

1910 

150 

70.7 

54.31 

.362 

107.00 

1  :  1.97 

1911 

188 

42.0 

49.50 

.263 

156.50 

1:3.16 

•1912 

222 

63.1 

46.00 

.207 

94.25 

1:2.05 

Average 

173 

58.8 

56.48 

.359 

125.84 

1:2.23 

1015} 


NITRATE  OF  SODA  TESTS  WITH  EARLY  VEGETABLES 


TABLE  12. — YIELDS  OF  BEETS  FROM  TREATED  AND  UNTREATED  PLATS 


Number 

Percentage 

Total 

Aver. 

Total 

Ratio  of 

Year 

of 

of  market- 

weight 

weight 

weight 

roots  to 

plants 

able  plants 

of  roots 

per  root 

of  leaves 

leaves,  by 
weight 

Plat  1:    Nitrate  Once  a  Week 


Ibs. 

Ibs. 

Ibs. 

1907 

168 

69.6 

51.06 

.304 

57.50 

1:1.13 

1908 

211 

73.9 

44.75 

.214 

42.25 

1:0.94 

1909 

117 

77.8 

64.30 

.550 

51.80 

1:0.81 

1910 

183 

65.0 

39.75 

.217 

40.50 

1:1.02 

J911 

242 

65.7 

41.4 

.171 

28.60 

1:0.69 

1912 

187 

70.1 

36.0 

.192 

58.75 

1:1.63 

Average 

184 

69.8 

46.21 

.274 

46.56 

1:1.01 

Plat  2:  Nitrate  Once  in  Two  Weeks 

1907 

149 

73.8 

44.75 

.300 

50.50 

1:1.13 

1908 

154 

81.2 

43.00 

.279 

33.50 

1:0.78 

1.909 

112 

76.8 

60.30 

.538 

48.30 

1:0.80 

1910 

180 

73.3 

42.09 

.234 

47.34 

1:1.12 

1911 

231 

61.9 

45.70 

.198 

29.50 

1:0.65 

1912 

190 

71.6 

40.75 

.214 

61.25 

1:1.50 

Average 

169 

72.0 

46.10 

.294 

45.06 

1:0.98 

Plat  3  :  Check 

1907 

177 

48.0 

29.88 

.169 

49.00 

1:1.64 

1908 

181 

75.1 

35.75 

.197 

34.50 

1:0.97 

1909 

120 

64.2 

47.80 

.398 

41.50 

1:0.87 

1910 

190 

71.1 

40.69 

.214 

41.25 

1:1.01 

1911 

222 

59.9 

44.00 

.198 

28.70 

1:0.65 

1912 

188 

66.0 

27.00 

.143 

45.50 

1:1.69 

Average 

179 

64.0 

37.52 

.219 

40.07 

1:1.07 

38 


BULLETIN  No.  184 


[November, 


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NITRATE  OF  SODA  TESTS  WITH  EAKLY  VEGETABLES 


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42  BULLETIN  No.  184  [November, 

DISCUSSION  OF  THE  EESULTS 

EADISHES 

An  examination  of  Table  10  shows  that  altho  there  were  wide 
differences  in  the  number  of  radish  plants  in  the  different  plats  (due 
to  differences  in  rate  of  seeding1),  the  results  of  applying  nitrate  of 
soda  were  quite  marked.  In  percentage  of  plants  producing  market- 
able roots,  total  weight  of  roots,  and  average  weight  per  root,  one  or 
the  other  of  the  plats  to  which  the  nitrate  had  been  applied  was  al- 
ways superior  to  the  check  plat.  The  four-year  averages  for  percent- 
age of  marketable  plants  and  average  weight  per  root  were  slightly 
in  favor  of  Plat  2,  to  which  applications  of  the  nitrate  were  made  once 
in  two  weeks.  Plat  1,  .to  which  nitrate  had  been  applied  once  a  week, 
was  superior  in  total  weight  of  roots.  This  was  due  mainly  to  the 
exceptionally  large  number  of  roots  produced  on  this  plat  in  1910. 

In  neither  of  the  plats  receiving  the  nitrate  was  the  foliage  ab- 
normally developed.  In  fact,  the  ratios  of  weight  of  roots  to  weight 
of  leaves  show  that  in  only  one  year  of  the  four  were  the  leaves  of 
the  plants  on  the  untreated  plat  relatively  lighter  in  weight  than  those 
of  the  treated  plats ;  and  that,  as  an  average  for  the  four  years,  the 
roots  of  the  plants  from  both  treated  plats  were  considerably  heavier 
in  proportion  to  the  leaves  than  were  those  of  the  plants  from  the 
check  plat. 

TURNIPS 

In  the  production  of  early  turnips,  the  applications  of  nitrate  of 
soda  did  not  seem  to  have  much  influence  upon  the  percentage  of 
marketable  roots,  since  in  three  years  of  the  six  the  check  plat  pro- 
duced higher  percentages  of  marketable  roots  than  did  either  of  the 
plats  to  which  nitrate  had  been  applied,  and  as  a  six-year  average  the 
check  plat  was  superior  to  one  of  the  treated  plats  in  this  respect  and 
only  slightly  inferior  to  the  other.  (See  Table  11.)  However,  in  re- 
spect to  total  weight  of  roots  and  average  weight  per  root,  the  check 
plat  was  inferior  to  one  or  both  of  the  treated  plats  five  years  of  the 
six,  and  as  an  average  for  the  six  years  was  inferior  to  both.  In  com- 
paring the  treated  plats,  it  appears  that  in  total  weight  of  roots  and 
average  weight  per  root,  Plat  2  was  superior  to  Plat  1  four  years  of 
the  six,  even  tho  the  six-year  averages  are  in  favor  of  Plat  1,  on  ac- 
count of  the  exceptional  development  of  the  roots  in  that  plat  in  1909. 

There  was  considerable  variation  in  the  ratios  of  weight  of  roots 
to  weight  of  leaves  in  different  years.  As  an  average  for  the  six  years, 
however,  the  check  plat  had  the  greatest  weight  of  leaves  in  propor- 
tion to  the  weight  of  the  roots.  That  is,  in  the  nitrate-treated  plats, 
foliage  growth  was  not  stimulated  out  of  proportion  to  the  develop- 
ment of  the  roots. 


1915]  NITRATE  OF  SODA  TESTS  WITH  EARLY  VEGETABLES  43 

BEETS 

Table  12  shows  that  Plat  1  was  superior  to  the  check  plat  in  per- 
centage of  marketable  beets  and  in  total  weight  of  beet  roots  four 
years  of  the  six,  and  that  Plat  2  was  superior  to  the  check  plat  in 
these  respects  every  year.  In  average  weight  per  beet  root,  both 
treated  plats  were  superior  to  the  check  plat  five  years  of  the  six.  In 
all  three  respects,  the  six-year-averages  are  strongly  in  favor  of  the 
treated  plats.  Altho  Plat  1  was  superior  to  Plat  2  in  certain  years, 
the  six-year  averages  for  percentage  of  marketable  roots  and  average 
weight  per  root  are  in  favor  of  Plat  2,  which  received  applications  of 
nitrate  once  in  two  weeks.  The  six-year  average  for  total  weight  of 
roots  is  very  slightly  in  favor  of  Plat  1,  on  account  of  the  larger  aver- 
age number  of  plants  in  the  plat  as  compared  with  Plat  2. 

The  smallest  amount  of  foliage  as  compared  with  the  weight  of 
the  roots  was  developed  on  Plat  2,  if  the  six-year  averages  are  con- 
sidered. In  one  year  of  the  six  (1910)  the  foliage  was  relatively 
lighter  on  each  of  the  other  plats  as  compared  with  Plat  2.  In  four 
years  of  the  six  the  foliage  on  the  check  plat  was  heavier  in  propor- 
tion to  the  roots  than  on  either  of  the  treated  plats. 

ONIONS  GROWN  FROM  SEED 

In  the  crop  of  onions  grown  from  seed,  the  percentage  of  market- 
able bulbs  was  highest  from  Plat  2  three  years  of  the  six,  and  the  six- 
year  average  in  this  respect  was  also  in  favor  of  Plat  2  (see  Table  13). 
However,  the  total  weight  of  crop  was  greatest  from  the  check  plat 
(Plat  3)  four  years  of  the  six.  The  six-year  averages  for  total  weight 
of  crop  and  for  average  weight  per  bulb  were  also  greater  for  the 
check  plat  than  for  either  of  the  treated  plats. 

ONIONS  GROWN  FROM  SETS 

In  1907  and  1908,  when  the  onions  grown  from  sets  were  har- 
vested as  green  bunch  onions,  the  plat  to  which  nitrate  was  ap- 
plied most  frequently  (Plat  1)  gave  the  lowest  average  yield  by  weight 
and  the  lowest  average  weight  per  plant.  Altho  the  plants  in  Plat  2 
(treated  with  nitrate  once  in  two  weeks)  averaged  slightly  heavier 
than  those  in  Plat  3  (check)  both  years,  the  slightly  greater  number 
of  plants  in  Plat  3  resulted  in  a  heavier  average  total  yield  for  the 
check  plat.  (See  Table  14.) 

In  the  four  years  in  which  the  onions  grown  from  sets  were  har- 
vested as  ripe  bulbs,  Plat  2  gave  the  heaviest  total  crop  three  years, 
and  had  the  best  four-year  average  for  total  weight  of  crop.  How- 
ever, the  check  plat  (Plat  3)  had  the  highest  average  weight  per  bulb 
two  years  of  the  four,  and  the  best  four-year  average  in  this  respect. 


44  BULLETIN  No.  184  [November, 

Except  in  one  year  (1911),  Plat  1  was  inferior  to  Plats  2  and  3  in 
respect  to  total  weight  of  crop.  In  average  percentage  of  marketable 
bulbs,  Plat  3  was  slightly  superior  to  the  other  two  plats.  (See 
Table  15.) 

SPINACH 

In  four  years  of  the  six,  the  total  weight  of  the  spinach  crop  from 
Plat  2  was  greater  than  from  either  of  the  other  plats.  The  greater 
weight  of  the  crop  from  Plat  1  in  the  other  two  years  was  evidently 
due,  in  part  at  least,  to  the  greater  number  of  plants  in  that  plat  those 
years.  Plat  1  was  inferior  to  the  check  plat  (Plat  3)  in  regard  to 
total  weight  of  crop  two  years  of  the  six.  Plat  2  was  superior  to  the 
other  two  plats  in  average  weight  per  plant  four  years  of  the  six,  and 
also  showed  the  highest  six-year  average  in  this  respect.  (See  Table 
16.)  On  the  whole,  the  spinach  in  Plat  2,  to  which  nitrate  had  been 
applied  at  intervals  of  two  weeks,  was  plainly  superior  to  that  in  either 
of  the  other  plats. 

LETTUCE 

In  this  experiment,  the  attempts  to  grow  head  lettuce  from  seed 
sown  in  the  open  failed  to  produce  satisfactory  crops  except  in  1907. 
In  1910  the  lettuce  was  grown  by  transplanting.  In  1909  and  1911 
the  crops  were  so  near  failures  that  records  of  weights  were  not  taken. 

In  the  three  years  in  which  data  were  secured  regarding  the  let- 
tuce grown  from  seed  sown  in  the  open,  each  of  the  three  plats  led  one 
year  in  percentage  of  plants  that  produced  heads.  (See  Table  17.) 
In  total  weight  of  plants  produced,  including  both  those  that  headed 
and  those  that  did  not,  and  in  average  weight  per  plant,  Plat  1  led 
two  years  and  Plat  2  one  year.  If  the  records  for  the  four  years  are 
combined,  including  the  three  years  that  the  lettuce  was  grown  from 
seed  sown  in  the  open  and  the  one  year  that  the  plants  were  trans- 
planted, the  untreated  plat  (Plat  3)  shows  the  highest  average  per- 
centage of  plants  headed,  on  account  of  the  proportionately  higher 
percentage  of  plants  heading  in  that  plat  in  1908.  The  check  plat 
also  shows  the  highest  average  weight  per  plant  when  the  four  years' 
records  are  considered  together.  In  total  weight  of  crop,  Plat  1,  to 
which  nitrate  of  soda  was  applied  once  a  week,  is  superior  to  the  other 
two  plats,  as  an  average  for  the  four  years. 

CABBAGE 

The  variations  in  numbers  of  cabbage  heads  from  the  different 
plats  and  in  different  years  were  due  principally  to  the  loss  of  plants 
by  reason  of  cut  worms  and  other  accidental  causes,  rather  than  to 
any  differences  in  the  percentage  of  plants  producing  heads.  In  every 
year  except  1908,  both  plats  which  received  the  nitrate  of  soda  (Plats 


NITRATE  OF  SODA  TESTS  WITH  EARLY  VEGETABLES  45 

1  and  2)  were  superior  to  the  untreated  plat  in  regard  to  total  weight 
of  crop  and  average  weight  per  head ;  and  the  six-year  averages  show 
marked  differences  in  favor  of  the  treated  plats  in  both  of  the  re- 
spects mentioned.  (See  Table  18.)  Of  the  two  treated  plats,  Plat  2, 
to  which  the  nitrate  was  applied  once  in  two  weeks,  was  superior  to 
Plat  1  in  total  weight  of  crop  and  average  weight  per  head  four  years 
of  the  six,  and  showed  the  higher  average  for  the  six  years  in  both 
respects. 

In  percentage  of  crop  which  matured  early,  Plat  2  was  superior 
to  both  the  other  plats  four  years  of  the  six,  and  showed  a  slightly 
higher  average  for  the  six  years  than  either  of  the  other  plats.  The 
check  plat  led  in  percentage  of  early  crop  two  years  of  the  six,  and 
showed  a  slightly  better  six-year  average  in  this  respect  than  Plat  1. 
On  the  whole,  the  best  results  with  cabbage  were  secured  in  Plat  2, 
which  received  applications  of  nitrate  of  soda  once  in  two  weeks. 

CAULIFLOWER 

In  a  cauliflower  crop,  one  of  the  most  important  features  is  the 
percentage  of  plants  that  produce  marketable  heads.  Data  on  this 
point  in  regard  to  the  cauliflower  grown  in  the  nitrate  of  soda  experi- 
ment are  given  in  Table  19.  It  will  be  seen  that  Plat  2  produced  the 
highest  percentage  of  plants  with  good  heads  three  years  of  the  six, 
and  had  a  higher  six-year  average  in  this  respect  than  either  of  the 
other  plats.  In  the  six-year  average,  both  treated  plats  were  plainly 
superior  to  the  untreated  plat.  The  influence  of  the  nitrate  of  soda 
upon  the  heading  of  cauliflower  was  most  strikingly  shown  in  1911, 
when  a  high  percentage  of  the  untreated  plants  failed  to  produce  any 
heads  whatever.  The  weather  that  year  was  exceedingly  hot  and  dry. 

CONCLUSIONS 

In  the  light  of  the  data  secured  in  connection  with  the  nitrate  of 
soda  experiment  reported  on  the  preceding  pages,  the  following  con- 
clusions are  warranted: 

1.  Under  the  soil  and  climatic  conditions  attending  these  tests, 
nitrate  of  soda  usually  does  not  induce  an  excessive  development  of 
foliage  on  the  common  early  root  crops,  radishes,  turnips,  and  beets, 
without  a  corresponding  development  of  the  root. 

2.  Top-dressings  of  nitrate  of  soda  may  reasonably  be  expected 
to  have  a  beneficial  effect  upon  the  following  crops  of  early  vegetables, 
on  well-manured  brown  silt  loam  in  the  corn  belt :   radishes,  turnips, 
beets,  spinach,  cabbage,  cauliflower.    The  beneficial  effect  may  consist 
in  a  higher  percentage  of  plants  reaching  marketable  size  or  condition 
within  a  given  time,  greater  size  of  the  individual  specimens,    or 
greater  total  yield.     (If  the  stand  were  uniform,  the  last  two  points 
would  be  correlated.) 


46  BULLETIN  No.  184  [November, 

3.  Under  the  conditions  of  these  tests,  the  benefits  to  be  derived 
from  top-dressings  of  nitrate  of  soda  to  onions  and  head  lettuce  do 
not  appear  to  be  sufficiently  marked  or  consistent  to  warrant  the  use 
of  this  fertilizing  material  on  these  crops. 

4.  Nitrate  of  soda  applied  at  intervals  of  two  weeks  seems  to  be 
fully  as  effective  as  when  applied  at  more  frequent  intervals,  even  tho 
the  aggregate  amount  of  material  is  correspondingly  less;    in  many 
cases  it  is  more  effective. 

5.  Under  the  conditions  of  these  tests,  the  beneficial  results  of 
using  nitrate  of  soda  in  the  production  of  early  vegetables  do  not  ap- 
pear to  be  so  pronounced  as  results  which  have  been  reported  from 
certain  other  sections  of  the  country. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 


